1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a cooling system for internal combustion engines cooled by a radiator, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing a conduit which not only couples a hydraulic pump to a hydraulic component, but also provides a support structure for supporting the hydraulic component at a predetermined position with respect to the radiator, minimizing or eliminating the need for additional support brackets.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
For years, fans have been used to draw air through a radiator of an internal combustion engine for the purpose of lowering the temperature of the engine coolant. Initially, such fans were directly powered by the engines and, often, belt systems were employed. With the advent of front wheel drive, vehicles used crossmounted engines and radiator coolant fans have often been powered by electric motors. Even in some engines having crank shafts which extend parallel to the length of the vehicle, electric motors have been used to drive the radiator cooling fan in view of the versatility of installation and ease of location with such system components to accommodate themselves to the aerodynamic configuration and other space limitations of the vehicle.
While internal engine cooling fans driven by electric motors are suitable in many light duty installations, electric motors are not suitable for powering fans under heavy duty requirements as the size of the electric motor must be significantly increased as compared to lighter duty installations and the electric drain on the vehicle electric system is enormous. Further, larger electric motors are very expensive and their size defeats the advantages obtained with smaller electric motors. Typical electric drive systems for permitting the engine to transfer a required amount of power to a fan are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,777,287; 3,220,640; 3,659,567; 3,934,644; 4,062,329; 4,066,047; 4,223,646; 4,461,246; 4,489,680; and 5,216,983.
Another advantage of using a hydraulically powered fan is that they typically are very quiet which can be aesthetically pleasing to the vehicle's operator.
One of the problems with using hydraulic and electronic fan motors is that the shrouds had to be provided with brackets which were affixed or integrally molded to the shroud assembly such that when the motor was mounted directly to the brackets, it would cause the fan blade to be properly positioned and centered in the shroud. U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,983 issued to Nilson illustrates this approach. A number of problems arise with the approach of Nilson. First, the fan shroud must have the brackets molded or mounted thereto. Also, the hydraulic conduit is not integrally coupled to or molded into the fan shroud, which can make accurately mounting the motor somewhat tedious.
Another problem with the cooling system designs of the past is illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein a radiator A had a structural support B secured or welded thereto for holding the fan motor C such that the fan blade D was held in operative relationship with the radiator A. As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the Nilson reference, this bracket may be affixed at an outer end to an end of a shroud. As illustrated in FIG. 6, one problem with such a design is the working depth (indicated by double arrow E in FIG. 6) required. Because of the reduction of engine compartment space, there is a need to reduce the space consumed by the motor and radiator arrangement.
Notice also that as the motor in FIG. 6 is energized to pull air through the radiator and toward the engine, the motor is forced in an axial direction towards the radiator. Because the hydraulic conduits to and from the Nilson motor are situated substantially parallel to a plane in which the radiator lies, it is believed that an undesirable loading, such as a shear or bending force, may cause the conduits to bend, leak or break at various points, such as where the conduits are coupled to the motor or require the addition of substantial structural elements capable of transmitting the motor load forces.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method for providing a hydraulic coupling between the hydraulic components in a vehicle which will not only couple the hydraulic components, but which will provide the sole means for supporting the hydraulic component in a predetermined position, without the need for excessive space or support brackets or engine couplings and which is designed and positioned to facilitate providing an effective cooling system and method for cooling the hydraulic fluid.